NOW Congratulates Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for New Standards of Conduct

The National Organization for Women (NOW) congratulates the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for adopting its new Standards of Conduct, to which each of its 8,427 members are expected to adhere.

NOW was the first organization to call on the Academy to expel Harvey Weinstein following the first reports of the producer’s record of sexual assault, and NOW saluted the Academy when it took that step. Today, the Academy has codified its policies with new Standards that read, in part,

“The Academy is categorically opposed to any form of abuse, harassment or discrimination on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disability, age, religion, or nationality.” Additionally, “If any member is found by the Board of Governors to have violated these standards or to have compromised the integrity of the Academy by their actions, the Board of Governors may take any disciplinary action permitted by the Academy’s Bylaws, including suspension or expulsion.”

“The Motion Picture Academy is on the right road,” said Toni Van Pelt, President of NOW, “but the journey is just beginning. We need to take the conversation about sexual harassment and assault past ‘who did what to whom’ and find meaningful ways to transform the culture to one that respects women and values them as equals.”